![]() Source: HRO.org (info) I am not a frequent visitor to the internet, but I cannot refrain from writing about what is troubling me deeply: the trial of the Prisoners of 6 May. I am glad that the unfair trial of Aleksei Navalny and Peter Ofitserov, and the harsh sentences given to them, stirred people up, not only in Moscow and St. Petersburg but in many other cities. The angry, immediate response to this outrage proves that there is civil society in Russia, and that the authorities have to take this into account in their actions. This is shown by the way in which the authorities took a step back after initially taking Navalny and Ofitserov into immediate custody after the verdict, and by the behaviour of our law enforcement officers during the spontaneous protests that followed the announcement of the verdict. It’s true there were arrests, but nonetheless the authorities decided not to launch a brutal crackdown on the demonstrators who had taken to the streets without any prior approval. This is wonderful. [Read more] |
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